Configuration guide · GivEnergy system modes

GivEnergy Eco Mode Explained — System Modes, Timed Charge & Schedule Guide

Q: Which mode should I use with Octopus Go?

For Octopus Go (cheap rate 00:30–05:30), use Timed Charge with a single schedule slot of 00:30–05:30. This window doesn't cross midnight so no split is needed. Set the target SoC to 100% (or your preferred maximum). For daytime solar use, the inverter will use solar-first behaviour outside the charge window. For full Octopus Go configuration, see the tariff optimisation guide.

GivEnergy has four system modes — Eco Mode, Timed Charge, Timed Discharge, and Timed Export. Getting this wrong is the single most common cause of GivEnergy support calls. This guide explains what each mode does, when to use it, and how to configure your schedule correctly — including the midnight rule that trips up most users.

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Covers all four GivEnergy system modes
Explains the midnight schedule rule
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Choosing the wrong system mode is the most common GivEnergy setup mistake. We review your tariff, schedule, and monitoring data to configure everything correctly — and verify it's working with your overnight charge window.

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13 Trustpilot reviews

Trustpilot Google

I have a GivEnergy system consisting of two batteries, two inverters and a controlling EMS (Energy Management System) which has not worked since Nov 2025. After six months I discovered Solar Tech Support, reached out to them and Ron phoned me back – how often do you get that service? Could not be more helpful – worked directly with me over the phone, outside what I would call normal working hours. Lucid explanations and we were able to discuss the issues and history using camera and email history. As this was a very rare setup, Ron was able to access an EMS expert in the field to confirm the solution. One sunny day in, I am now only paying for standing charge and a few pence for spikes in grid consumption while battery catches up with house demand.

Ian · May 2026 Trustpilot

When my GivEnergy system had an issue, I was completely left without support and had honestly lost all hope. Thankfully, I searched online and found Ron, which completely turned things around. After sending him a message, he responded incredibly fast and called me to assure me that he would get the problem fixed. I really admire his dedicated, supportive nature and his determination to find a solution. With this kind of outstanding attitude and customer service, he has absolutely secured a future customer in me.

Sree · May 2026 Trustpilot

Ron want out of is way to help, nothing was to much. He was very thorough in what he did Very knowledgeable I would highly recommend Ron and his company He did a fantastic job for me. if you have any problems, he'll do his best to help you out and resolve your problem. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them

Dennis Brown · May 2026 Trustpilot

Ron took me through a diagnostic to confirm my GivEnergy Inverter had a fault. A common one as it turns out with the AC Inverter. As GivEnergy is defunct there is no immediate fix, aside from sourcing 2nd hand replacement. It may be that a fix becomes available over the summer which would make a lot of GivEnergy customers happy (Again)

Tony Deacon · May 2026 Trustpilot

Contacted Ron with a problem and he sorted it out quickly with no problems at all. Very knowledgeable on anything solar/ batteries. I would recommend him to anyone

Phill · May 2026 Trustpilot

I've spoken to Ron a couple of times with issues with my Givenergy installation. Such a friendly knowledge guy very highly recommended. Thank you very much for resolving my issues

michael fairhurst · May 2026 Trustpilot

Contacted Solar Tech Support in desperation. After explaining the issues I had with my system a diagnosis was made and a solution proposed. Fantastic service, even contacted a manufacturer to arrange replacement parts for me. Great communications, explained all they were doing and what I had to do, clearly and precisly. Followed up to confirm all was ok. Excellent service.

Mr Machin · May 2026 Trustpilot

After GivEnergy went into liquidation, just my luck, my battery started playing up (internal board crashed). Contacted my installer - not interested! Found Solar tech support on a Google search. Sooo glad I found this company! Ron is extremely helpful and has plenty of experience. He soon confirmed what the fault was, and helped me to get my system up and running again. Now moved my GivEnergy account to Solar tech support, and will definitely use again if I have more issues. Unusual to find such a helpful company in these times, no morons reading scripts, just direct contact with the engineer.

Keith Ballard · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

Contacted Solar Tech Support when trying to understand what my Givenergy inverter problem might be and what might be my options. Received good/honest advise which backed up my thoughts.

Hugh Speirs · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

Ron is a super star. Two months ago my GivEnergy battery failed a firmware upgrade leaving it a brick. My installer couldn't/wouldn't fix it. GivEnergy couldn't/wouldn't fix it. Then they went into administration and all hope was lost. A flurry of emails later and Ron had diagnosed the fault (failed USB flash drive, something I'd suspected) and talked me through resolving it. Two months of nothing resolved in about 3 hours. It's great to work with someone who pays attention to the details, knows that they're doing (not just following a script) and gets stuff sorted without a fuss or up-charging.

Christopher · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

I can add to the list of customers who had already 'given up' on GivEnergy due to their appalling customer service, and that was before they went into administration (their Trustpilot reviews don't lie!). So you can imagine my desperation when, having changed my ISP and my Inverter, predictably, proving to be the only device that didn't connect automatically to my new network, I found zero prospect of any customer support with GivEnergy having called in the administrators just five days earlier! The salvation came from Solar Tech Support. My IT advisor stumbled across their web site and some very helpful tips for beleaguered GivEnergy customers, as well as an offer to provide direct assistance. Nothing ventured, I decided to drop them an E-Mail, with very low expectations based on my experience of GivEnergy customer support. Within an hour Ron had responded with some pin point advice, and after a few exchanges of E-Mails he had nailed the problem, enabling the combined efforts of my IT advisor and solar installer to resolve it and reconnect my Inverter. Thank you Solar Tech Support, and Ron in particular, for coming to the aid of a deserted and despondent GivEnergy customer. Expert, razor sharp advice and first class customer service, even though I wasn't officially a customer.

customer · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

This company are a rare gem, I had a very unusual problem following a failed firmware upgrade on my GivEnergy kit. I then found out GivEnergy were in administration and had dismissed all their support staff! None of the usual fixes to try and restore my inverter comms would work, and I looked everywhere, forums, GivEnergy youtube support videos - even AI couldn't figure it out. My installer was talking about huge sums for system replacements, and being vague / evasive about if they'd even install replacement GivEnergy inverter. Enter Solar Tech Support, reassuring and knowledgeable from the very start, I've learnt loads about my solar system though the friendly chat while my engineer worked as he diagnosed the problem and figured out a fix procedure that I've not found anywhere else - amazing . If you need solar system repairs - especially if you like me have been left high and dry by GivEnergy, I cannot recommend this company enough. Give them a call.

Andy Thomas · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

I sent a message on their website regarding a problem I have on my Givenergy system. Although not supplied by Ronald, I thought it was worth an email. Within the hour on a Saturday, he phoned and we discussed the problem. He logged in remotely and gave excellent advice. I'm too far away for his on-site help but he did diagnose the problem and was happy also to chat through my thoughts about an upcoming solar/battery install I'm planning. Great bloke.... if only he was nearer!

Philip · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

Ian · May 2026 Trustpilot

Sree · May 2026 Trustpilot

Dennis Brown · May 2026 Trustpilot

Tony Deacon · May 2026 Trustpilot

Contacted Ron with a problem and he sorted it out quickly with no problems at all. Very knowledgeable on anything solar/ batteries. I would recommend him to anyone

Phill · May 2026 Trustpilot

I've spoken to Ron a couple of times with issues with my Givenergy installation. Such a friendly knowledge guy very highly recommended. Thank you very much for resolving my issues

michael fairhurst · May 2026 Trustpilot

Mr Machin · May 2026 Trustpilot

Keith Ballard · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

Contacted Solar Tech Support when trying to understand what my Givenergy inverter problem might be and what might be my options. Received good/honest advise which backed up my thoughts.

Hugh Speirs · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

Christopher · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

customer · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

Andy Thomas · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

Philip · Apr 2026 Trustpilot

All configuration Eco mode Tariff optimisation Export limit CT clamp Events (GivBack) Battery not charging Software diagnostics GivEnergy hub →

Mode 1

Eco Mode — solar-first, no grid charging

Eco Mode is the default GivEnergy system mode. It's designed for solar-first operation and is the correct mode for households on flat-rate tariffs with no cheap overnight window.

What Eco Mode does

In Eco Mode, the inverter charges the battery from surplus solar generation during the day. When solar generation exceeds household consumption, the excess charges the battery. After dark, or when solar is insufficient, the battery discharges to cover household load, reducing grid import. The battery acts as a buffer for solar energy.

What Eco Mode does NOT do

Eco Mode never charges the battery from the grid. This is the most misunderstood thing about GivEnergy settings. If you have Octopus Go, Economy 7, Agile, Cosy, or any other tariff with a cheap overnight window and you are in Eco Mode, your battery will NOT charge on cheap rate electricity. You must switch to Timed Charge.

When to use Eco Mode

Use Eco Mode if you are on a flat-rate tariff (same rate 24/7 with no cheap window). Also use it for the off-peak daytime portion of your day if you're on a time-of-use tariff and want solar-first behaviour between your scheduled windows.

Common mistake: Battery not charging overnight? Check your system mode first. If it's on Eco Mode and you have a cheap overnight tariff, this is almost certainly why. Switch to Timed Charge with your cheap-rate window entered in the schedule.

Mode 2

Timed Charge

Timed Charge — for cheap overnight grid electricity

Timed Charge is the mode to use if you have any tariff with a cheap overnight rate. It forces the inverter to charge the battery from the grid during your specified window, regardless of solar generation.

How to set up Timed Charge

Log into givenergy.cloud → My Inverter → Settings tab.

Select Timed Charge as the System Mode.

Enter your cheap-rate window start and end times in the charge schedule. If your window crosses midnight (e.g. 23:30–05:30), split it into two slots — see the midnight rule.

Set the target SoC (state of charge) — this is how full you want the battery to be by the end of the charge window. For overnight resilience, 100% is typical.

Click Save and verify the schedule appears correctly. Check the next morning that the battery has charged as expected.

Timed Charge and solar — what happens during the day

When you are in Timed Charge mode and the charge window is not active (i.e. during the day), the inverter will continue to use solar generation to maintain the battery and cover household load — it does not ignore solar. Outside the scheduled charge window, Timed Charge behaves similarly to Eco Mode.

To maximise solar use during the day and grid charging at night, set the charge target SoC to whatever level your overnight usage requires — typically 80–100% — and let solar top up the remainder during the day.

Mode 3

Timed Discharge

Timed Discharge — discharge during peak rate periods

Timed Discharge forces the battery to discharge during a set window — typically evening peak rate hours — to avoid importing expensive grid electricity at peak tariff rates.

When to use Timed Discharge

Timed Discharge is used alongside Timed Charge as a two-schedule strategy for time-of-use tariffs. The typical pattern is:

Off-peak overnight: Timed Charge runs to fill the battery on cheap rate.

Daytime: Solar covers household load and tops up the battery.

Peak evening hours (typically 4–7 PM): Timed Discharge runs to cover household load from the battery, avoiding grid import at the peak rate.

Note: GivEnergy uses one active system mode at a time. You cannot run Timed Charge and Timed Discharge simultaneously — you need to schedule them as separate windows by switching modes, or use an automation tool like GivTCP with Home Assistant.

Mode 4

Timed Export

Timed Export — sell electricity at peak export rates

Timed Export discharges the battery to the grid during a set window — earning export payments at peak export rate periods. This is typically used with tariffs like Octopus Agile, Octopus Flux, or any tariff with variable export pricing.

When Timed Export makes financial sense

Timed Export is profitable when the export rate during the peak window exceeds the cost of the cheap overnight electricity used to fill the battery plus any degradation cost. On Octopus Agile, export prices can briefly reach very high values during cold, still, dark evenings — at these times, Timed Export can earn significantly.

For most users on fixed tariffs, Timed Discharge is more reliable than Timed Export — it reduces consumption rather than generating revenue, which is simpler and has no dependence on export rate timing. For full tariff-specific guidance, see the tariff optimisation guide.

Critical rule

Midnight rule

Schedule slots cannot cross midnight

This is the most common configuration mistake with GivEnergy schedules. A single time slot cannot span midnight — if your cheap rate does, you must split it into two entries.

How to split a midnight-crossing schedule

If your cheap rate runs from 23:30 to 05:30 (as with some Octopus tariffs or Economy 7 variants), you cannot enter this as a single schedule entry. You must create two separate slots:

Slot 1: 23:30 → 00:00
Slot 2: 00:00 → 05:30

Both slots should have the same charge target SoC. The inverter will treat them as a continuous charging period spanning midnight.

Navigate to Settings → charge schedule in the portal.

Add slot 1: start time = 23:30, end time = 00:00, target SoC = your desired level.

Add slot 2: start time = 00:00, end time = 05:30, target SoC = same level.

Save and verify both entries appear in the schedule correctly.

Common tariffs that need split slots: Octopus Go (00:30–05:30 — no split needed), Economy 7 variants starting before midnight, some Agile very cheap windows. Check your tariff's exact hours and split if the window starts before 00:00.

Quick reference

By tariff

Which GivEnergy mode to use — by tariff type

Quick reference for the correct system mode and schedule approach for common UK energy tariffs.

Tariff	Cheap window	Mode to use	Split needed?
Octopus Go	00:30 – 05:30	Timed Charge	No — single slot
Economy 7 (standard)	00:30 – 07:30	Timed Charge	No — single slot
Economy 7 (early start)	23:00 – 06:00	Timed Charge	Yes — split at 00:00
Octopus Agile	Variable (lowest 30-min slots)	Timed Charge + automation	GivTCP recommended
Octopus Cosy	04:00 – 07:00 + off-peak	Timed Charge	No
Flat rate (no cheap window)	—	Eco Mode	N/A

Economy 7 hours vary by region and supplier. Check your bill or supplier portal for your exact cheap-rate window. For full per-tariff configuration guides, see Tariff optimisation →

Related GivEnergy configuration guides

💷

Tariff optimisation

Full per-tariff configuration guide — Go, Agile, Intelligent, E7, Cosy and more.

🔋

Battery not charging overnight

Full diagnostic guide for overnight charging failures — mode, schedule, CT clamp.

⬆️

Export limit

How to configure the GivEnergy export limit for your DNO requirements.

💻

Software diagnostics

Portal-based checks — schedules, Remote Control, event log, system mode.

FAQ

GivEnergy system mode questions

Does GivEnergy Eco Mode charge from the grid?

No. GivEnergy Eco Mode only charges the battery from surplus solar generation — it never draws from the grid to charge the battery. If you have a cheap overnight tariff (Octopus Go, Economy 7, Agile, Cosy), you must use Timed Charge mode with your cheap-rate window entered in the schedule. Eco Mode on a time-of-use tariff will leave you paying full rate for overnight house loads.

What is the difference between Eco Mode and Timed Charge?

Eco Mode charges only from surplus solar and never from the grid. Timed Charge forces the inverter to charge from the grid during a specific time window — regardless of solar output. Timed Charge is required for any tariff with cheap overnight electricity. The fact that solar charging works in Eco Mode does not mean Timed Charge will also work automatically — they are fundamentally different modes.

Can GivEnergy schedule slots cross midnight?

No. GivEnergy schedule slots cannot span midnight. If your cheap-rate window crosses midnight, split it into two entries: one from your start time to 00:00, and a second from 00:00 to your end time. Both should have the same target SoC. This is a known limitation of the GivEnergy portal scheduler and applies to all system modes.

Which mode should I use with Octopus Go?

For Octopus Go (cheap rate 00:30–05:30), use Timed Charge with a single schedule slot of 00:30–05:30. This window doesn't cross midnight so no split is needed. Set the target SoC to 100% (or your preferred maximum). For daytime solar use, the inverter will use solar-first behaviour outside the charge window. For full Octopus Go configuration, see the tariff optimisation guide.

My GivEnergy switched to Eco Mode after a firmware update — why?

GivEnergy firmware updates can reset the system mode to Eco Mode and clear the charge schedule. This is a known issue. After any firmware update, check the Settings tab in the portal — if the mode has changed to Eco Mode and the schedule is blank, re-enter your required system mode and charge window. Going forward, check the portal the morning after any update notification to catch this before your next charge window.

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